Amateur Radio association announces reactivation

Calling all radio amateurs!
The Brunei Darussalam Amateur Radio Association (BDARA) announced yesterday that it will be back on air!

At a press conference held at RAC Technologies Sdn Bhd in Kiarong yesterday, President of BDARA, Pg Salleh Abdul Rahaman Pg Hj Damit, announced that the association, which has been inactive for six years, will be holding its reactivation ceremony this Sunday at the Dewan Kuliah of Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium at 2.30pm.

Old and young members - at least 14 years of age - who are interested in joining the association are encouraged to come and register.

Amateur Radio is a unique, fascinating and friendly hobby that has captivated the interest of millions of people around the world. It enables you to communicate across the country, around the globe, or even with astronauts on space missions; those with a competitive streak may even enjoy the contests constantly held all around the world, where the objective is to see how many in distant locations they can contact.

According to Pg Salleh Abdul Rahaman, contrary to misconceptions about radio communication being obsolete, it is still being used by millions of people around the world today.

"We might have the convenience of the Internet nowadays, with which we contact friends and relatives all around the world, but the drawback is that your connection is dependent on a phone line connection.

"Through Amateur Radio, you can transmit information for free (just as long as it's not for political or business purposes), as you transmit through the air, and you will always be 'online'," he explained.

"With the Internet, once your server is down, there will be a communication breakdown. The same thing won't happen with communicating through high-frequency radio as you'll always be connected, wherever and whenever."

Amateur Radio in Brunei Darussalam started in the late 1970s by a number of local signal experts who formed the 'Askar Muda' radio club, which helped initiate amateur radio enthusiasm among the community. One of the first known members was Al-Marhum Seri Paduka Pg Temanggong Sahibul Bahar Pg Hj Mohammed with his call sign VS5PM.

Brunei Darussalam's call sign Victor Eight (V8) is renowned throughout the world, due to the active communication by a number of local veteran operators, such as Pg Salleh Abdul Rahaman, Lt Col (Rtd) Ambran Hj Mohd Noor Aston (Vice-President), and Hj Abu Bakar Hj Awg Ahmad (Adviser), to name a few.

In 1999, the 27th SEANET Convention, an annual event for Radio Amateurs, was successfully held in Brunei Darussalam for the first time. Many fellow radio aficionados from around the world who came to the convention said that it was one of the best conventions they've ever attended.

Apart from promoting and encouraging interest in advanced science and the art of radio communication, BDARA aims to provide service to His Majesty's Government and other parties anytime and anywhere; to fulfil numerous activities to improve knowledge, experience and education in the field of recreational amateur radio; and to ease the exchange of information and ideas by establishing friendship and understanding between amateur radio enthusiasts all around the world.

After the event this weekend, a number of roadshows have been lined up in May in all four districts: on Sunday May 11, a reactivation roadshow will be held at Muara Beach in the Brunei-Muara District; Sunday May 15, Seri Kenangan Beach in the Tutong District; Sunday May 25, Anduki Jubilee Recreational Park in the Belait District; and Sunday June 1, Kuala Belalong Mini Park in the Temburong District. All events will run from 10am to 4pm.

Another activity that would be of interest would be the 'Borneo Field Day', to be held in Pontianak, Indonesia this July. Brunei Darussalam was the first to organise such a day some years ago, particularly by the pioneer in Brunei Amateur Radio, the late Hj Hassan Hj Abd Ghani (V85HG), ex-president of BDARA.